Shovel



Feb. 18, 1936. EC. BRAN'DENBURG 2,031,556

SHOVEL 7 Filed July 31, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR A TTORNE Y5.

Feb. 18, 1936. F. c. BRAN-DENBURG sHovEL Filed July 31, 1 953 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR r I W A TTOR/VEYS.

Patented Feb. 18, 1936 UNITED $TATES PATENT OFFICE SHOVEL ApplicationJuly 31, 1933, Serial No. 683,002

7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in shovels.

One object of the invention is to make a shovel of simpler and lighterconstruction than has heretofore been possible in making a shovelcapable of doing the same work. Another object is to make a shovel thatis capable of doing the work, and standing the strains that are commonlyimposed on the highest class of shovels, at a lower cost than that ofsaid higher class shovels.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be seen or pointed outas a detailed description of the invention proceeds.

I shall now describe my improved shovel and the manner of making it,with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my shovel, looking toward the front ofthe blade;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the blade in a partly finished state,looking toward the back of the blade;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a plate adapted to cover the deep recessin the back of the blade resulting from forming the blade andhandlesocket from a single piece of sheet metal;

Fig. 4 is a sectional side elevation of my improved shovel;

Fig. 5 is a View looking squarely at the back of the shovel;

Fig. 6 is a detail of construction;

Fig. 7 is another'detail of construction;

Fig. 8 is yet another detail of construction, and

Fig. 9 is a sectional view of a die for Welding the recess-cover bypressure.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the blade and handle-socket 26 are formed withdies from a single piece of sheet metal. This is not altogether new, ithaving been common practice for a long time to make one-piece shovels,known as open-back shovels. In the stage shown in Fig. 2 the upper edgesor shoulders 21 of the blade are provided with backwardly extendingflanges 28, which flanges are continuations of the margins 29 on thelongitudinal extension of the blade which,

when formed into a tubular member, produces the handle-socket 26.Referring to Fig. 1 it will be seen that the juncture of the blade 25and socket 26 is produced by a frog 30, so called, doubtless, from itsresemblance to the frog of a horses hoof. The handle-socket 26 evolvesfrom this frog, the extension of the blade which forms the socket beingbent into tubular form, with its edges abutting, as in Figs. 2 and 5. At32 these edges begin to separate-(see Fig. 2) and by a curvilineardivergence join the flanges 28 on the shoulders of the blade.

The frog rising from the front of the blade leaves a deep recess 35 inthe back of the blade, which recess joins the hollow of the handlesocket,'and an important feature of my invention is 1 the covering ofthis recess, and also the cleft 36 formed by the divergence of the edges29 at the lower end of the socket. For this purpose I use a cover-plate31, shown in Fig. 3. The main part of this plate has a shape resemblingthe head of .a spear (see Fig. 5), which part covers the recess 35, itsedges overlapping and being welded to the margin of the recess. From theupper end of the cover-plate an extension or tongue 38 extends into thehandle-socket, closing the cleft 36. (See Fig. 5). This tongue continuesbeyond the point 32,-where the cleft begins, and lies against the innerwall of the socket. Only the part 31 is welded to the blade, as is seenat 39 in Fig. 5. After this weld is made 'the' flanges 28 are bent orpressed down over the shoulders of the coverplate and the edges of thetongue, as in Fig. 5. Thus a substantially smooth exterior is formed.The plate is vbulged slightly outwardly to stiffen it, and-prevent itsinking inward when it is welded. Thisbulgeis carried into the bend 40,at which point the tongue 38 begins, and beyond "thi s'bulg'ed bend thetongue has a curvature that conforms to the substantially cylindricalcurvature of the socket, thus allowing the tongue to lie snugly againstthe inner wall thereof.

In addition to covering the cleft 36, the tongue .38 reinforces theshovel materially. In Fig. 4 a wooden plug 4| is driven into the socketbetween the tongue and the back of the socket. In various classes ofWork shovels are subjected to severe strains tending to break the bladesfrom the sockets, or injure the shovels in other ways. For instance, inrailroad track work, shovels are frequently used as levers. That is,with the end of the blade under a tie and the heel resting on theground, bearing down on the handle gives the blade great lifting power,but at the same time subjects the connection between the blade andsocket to severe strain. This particular strain tends to straighten thefrog in the region indicated at 66, Fig. 4, which tendency is opposed bythe extremity of the tongue 38 bearing on the plug 4|. Obviously,areverse strain, that isa strain tending to increase the curvature inthe region indicated at 60, will cause the extremity of the tongue tobear hard against the back of the socket and thereby resist the strain.In

eithe case the tongue reinforces the other parts 55 of the shovel,reduces the strain on the weld at 39, Fig. 5, and elsewhere, and addsvery materially to the capacity of the shovel to resist strains. Thecapacity of the tongue to resist strains is much increased by its beingbent to conform to the cylindrical curvature of the socket, and by thebulge which is incorporated in the bend 40.

If desired the tongue 38 might be welded to the socket and the plug Momitted. The tongue would still serve as a reinforcement, but lesseffectively than where the plug 4| is used. Using the plug as shown inFig. 4 permits a small amount of relative longitudinal movement betweenthe socket and tongue, which serves to distribute or equalize thestrains over a considerable area of the structure. In other words, itintroduces an element of flexibility that protects the structure fromconcentration of strains, such as have been found most destructive toshovels. Instead of using the wooden plug, the end of the tongue may beformed with laterally extending wings which, when formed into a ring, asat 42 in Figs. I and 8, serve the same purpose as the plug 4|.

In Fig. 4 the socket is fitted with a stale 43, which is secured in theusual way with rivets M. The portion of the socket containing the staleis preferably made straight, so a straight stale can be used. Thisreduces the cost of manufacture, and facilitates replacing the staleshould it be broken. It is quite common, however, to extend the stalefarther into the socket, in which case it would be. necessary to bendthe stale. This is so common in the art, and so well understood, that itis not necessary to illustrate it. If the stale is inserted far enough!to cause its end to pass the end of the tongue 38, it will serve thepurpose of the plug 41, or of the ring 42.

While I have described what I now regard as the preferred embodiment ofmy invention, it is not to be understod that I am limited thereto. Myinvention is only limited by the appended claims, which are as follows:

1. In a shovel, a blade and a handle-socket formed from a single pieceof sheet metal, the metal at the juncture of the blade and socket beingbent to form a frog that rises from the front of the blade and evolvesinto the socket, leaving a deep depression in the back of the blade,which depression joins the hollow of the socket, the socket being anelongate extension of the frog, which extension is bent to a tubularform with its edges abutting, this abutting relationship continuing to apoint near said recess, where the edges separate and by a curvilineardivergence join the shoulders of the blade, leaving a cleft in the lowerend of the socket, and a cover for said recess, having a tongue thatprojects into the socket to serve as a cover for said cleft, the marginsof the recess-cover being welded to the margins of the recess, and meanswithin the socket to hold the tongue and socket in movable contactcomprising a short driven plug separate from the handle and having suchsize and fit that the tongue and the socket are normally held in fixedrelationship but capable of relative movement in contact when the shovelis deformed.

2. In a shovel, a blade and a handle-socket formed from a single pieceof sheet metal, the metal at the juncture of the blade and socket beingbent to form a frog that rises from the front of the blade and evolvesinto the socket, leaving a deep depression in the back of the blade,

which depression joins the hollow of the socket, the socket being anelongate extension of the frog, which extension is bent to a tubularform with its edges abutting, this abutting relationship continuing to apoint near said recess Where the edges separate and by a curvilineardivergence join flanges on the shioulders of the blade, leaving a cleftin the lower end of the socket, and a cover for said recess, having atongue that projects into the socket and serves as a cover for saidcleft, the margins of the recess-cover being welded to the margins ofthe recess, and means within the socket to hold the tongue and socket inmovable contact comprising a short driven plug separate from the handleand having suchl size and fit that the tongue and the socket arenormally held in fixed relationship but capable of relative movement incontact when the shovel is deformed.

3. In a shovel comprising a blade and a tubular handle-socket formedfrom a single piece of sheet metal, a reinforcing member welded to theback of the blade and having a tongue that extends into the socket asubstantial distance beyond the point where the lower curved edges ofthe socket meet, said tongue having a curved surface providing asubstantial area of contact with the inner surface of the handle socket,and means fitting Within said handle socket to maintain said surfaces incontact over a substantial area during relative sliding movements ofsaid tongue with respect to said socket in response to deformations ofthe shovel during use.

,4. In a shovel comprising a blade and a tubular handle-socket, areinforcing member welded to the back of the blade and having a tonguethat extends into the socket, said tongue carrying a ring on its freeend which fits the interior of the socket, said tongue being so arrangedwith reference to the blade and socket that any strain:

tending to flex the blade or socket, either with reference to the other,must. also tend to flex said tongue with reference to. the blade,thereby causing the tongue to resist said strain.

5. In an open back shovel comprising a blade and a tubular handlesocket, a reenforcing cover member for the back opening, said memberbeing outwardly bulged about a longitudinal axis and being benttransversely along a line which substantially underlies the upper edgeof said blade to form a substantially flat shovel back throughout theprojected area of the blade, said member being rigidly fastened to saidblade below said transverse bend and having its portion above said bendformed in a tongue received in said handle socket, said tongue having acurved surface providing a substantial area of contact with the innersurface of the handle socket, and means fitting within said handlesocket to maintain said surfaces in contact over a substantial areaduring relative sliding movements of said tongue with respect to saidsocket in response to deformations of the shovel during use.

6. An open back shovel comprising a blade and a tubular handle socket, areinforcing cover member for the back opening, said member being rigidlyfastened to said blade and having a portion formed into a tongue asubstantial part of which is received within said handle socket, andmeans within said socket interposed between said tongue and the opposingwall of said socket, the said means and tongue providing a non-rigidreinforcement having contact with the walls of the socket over asubstantial area and permitting relative shifting movement of saidtongue with respect to said socket effective to distribute deformingstresses along the socket in resisting forces tending to deform theshovel during use.

7. An open back shovel comprising a blade and a tubular handle socket, areinforcing cover member for the back opening, said member being rigidlyfastened to the back of said blade and having a tongue portion extendingupwardly toward said handle socket and being received 10 within saidhandle socket, means within the socket interposed between said tongueand the opposing wall of said socket, the said means and tongueproviding a non-rigid reinforcement for the socket permitting relativemovement between said tongue and means upon application of deformingstresses, contact between said tongue and means being eifective toresist and to distribute deforming stresses.

FRANCIS C. BRANDENBURG.

